2015-07-14
1006
6.1. Read and translate the text:
The legislative power of the United States of America is rested in the U.S. Congress. Congress has its own library.
The Library of Congress (Fig. 17) is the largest and most important library in the world. Founded in Washington, D.C. in 1800, the Library of Congress was at first housed in the Capitol. In addition to serving as a reference source for members of Congress and other officers of the executive and judicial branches of government, the Library of Congress has become an outstanding institution among the learned institutions of the world, with magnificent collections of books, manuscripts, music, prints and maps. It also provides lectures and concerts; serves as the national center for service to the blind, issuing books in Braille and talking books.
Fig. 17. The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress houses the National Union Catalogue (am. Catalog), a record of the volumes contained in 2500 libraries; issues printed catalogue cards for the use of subscribing libraries and institutions; and has developed a widely used system of classifications.
The Library of Congress has free copies of all books copyrighted in the United States. It exchanges with foreign government and learned societies. Each year its collection is added by 1 million pieces. Scientists, researchers and scholars of the world may use the Library of Congress.
As known the Library of Congress was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1800. In 1815 the ex-president Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library accumulated for 50 years to the Library of Congress. At that time his personal library was considered one of the best in the United States. It was the basis for a great national library.
Now the Library of Congress is a whole complex on Capitol Hill which includes three buildings, namely the Thomas Jefferson Building, the John Adams Building and the James Madison Memorial Building.
The Thomas Jefferson Building, which has been built in Italian Renaissance style, is the oldest of these. It was the largest and costliest library building in the world when it was completed in 1897. The building is decorated with splendid sculpture, murals and mosaics created by 50 American artists. The Main Reading Room is almost 49 meters high. The Room houses a collection of over 45,000 reference books, and desks for 250 readers. The adjacent Computer Catalogue Center provides public access to the Library’s automated catalogue files through computer terminals.
The John Adams Building was opened in 1939. It was a simply designed building faced with white marble. The bas-relief sculptures of 12 famous writers decorate its large bronze doors.
The James Madison Memorial Building was opened in 1980. The building faced with marble more than doubled the space of the Library on Capitol Hill. The building which is the official memorial to the fourth president of the United States contains the James Madison Memorial Hall, exhibition areas, eight reading rooms, offices and storage areas for collections which number over 70 million items.
Now the Library of Congress has 18 reading rooms and desks for 1460 readers. Collection of the Library include more than 86 million items covering virtually every subject in formats that vary from papyrus to optical disk. These materials stretch along 535 miles of shelves and are being acquired at a rate of 10 items a minute. The Library has 26 million books in 60 languages and more than 36 million manuscripts, among them such treasures of American history and culture as the papers of Presidents, notable families, writers, artists and scientists.
The Library has the world,s largest and most comprehensive cartographic collection – almost 4 million maps and atlases, dating back to the middle of the 14th century – and a 7-million-piece music collection that includes not only paper material, but also Stradivarius instruments.
The Library,s 10 million prints and photographs provide a visual record of people, places, and events in the United States and in many foreign countries. Approximately 75,000 serial titles are received annually;1,200 newspapers are held in the Library,s permanent collection, with some dating back to the 17th century. There are also 80,000 motion picture titles, 50,000 television broadcasts, and 350,000 radio transcriptions.
